NORTHWEST COLLEGE, Wyo. (Interstat) — The Northwest Trappers used a dominant second-half performance to pull away from the Gillette Pronghorns for an 81-66 victory in a men’s junior college basketball game Saturday night.

The game, a rematch of a narrow 60-58 Northwest win just three weeks prior, was tightly contested for the first 20 minutes before the Trappers seized control after halftime. Gillette’s Rashad McCormick kept his team in striking distance with a game-high 30 points, but Northwest’s balanced and efficient offense proved too much.

Northwest, which improved to 11-10 overall, trailed 39-37 at halftime. The Trappers exploded in the second half, outscoring Gillette 44-27. The turnaround was fueled by superior shooting and ball security. Northwest shot 52.5 percent from the field for the game and connected on 13 of 25 three-point attempts. Gillette, meanwhile, struggled with its efficiency, shooting 40 percent overall and a costly 11 of 25 from the free throw line.

The most important part of the game was Northwest’s decisive run to open the second half, which fundamentally shifted the momentum. After a back-and-forth first half that featured 10 lead changes, the Trappers began the second period with a 13-3 surge over the first six minutes. The run included three-pointers from Trey Rinn and Nayel Girard, along with interior baskets from Girard and Logan Woolstenhulme. This stretch extended a narrow two-point halftime lead to 53-42, and Gillette never recovered, unable to cut the deficit to single digits again.

Nayel Girard led Northwest with 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists. He was one of five Trappers to score in double figures, highlighting the team’s distributed attack. Mateo Trujillo added 17 points, while Travis Theran Archibald scored 13, all in the second half. R’Zha Zha’Quire Whittle contributed 12 points and Woolstenhulme just missed a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

McCormick’s 30-point, 10-rebound double-double for Gillette was the standout individual effort. Aly Tapo provided 11 points off the bench for the Pronghorns, who fell to 11-11.

Northwest won the possession battle, scoring its 81 points on just 67 possessions for an offensive rating of 121.7. Gillette managed 66 points on 73 trips, an offensive rating of 90.6. The Trappers also won the rebounding battle 38-30.

Both teams committed 10 turnovers, but Northwest converted theirs into more consistent offense. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Gillette in the series’ recent matchups, as Northwest evened the season series.

Gillette will next host Laramie County on Feb. 21. Northwest is scheduled to host Central Wyoming on Feb. 18.